An alternative to the conventional

Around the Ranch-April 6, 2018

Just as we were gearing up to get started on all of our spring tasks, winter struck again with many inches of snow and temperatures below freezing. So, we’ve brought out our winter coats, and here’s what we’ve been up to:

Ryan’s sister had 3 roosters that she needed to have butchered, so she brought them down last Saturday, so we could do it. I did not look at the temperature before we started-if I had, I may have politely declined and huddled under my blankets-so we were out in 32 degree weather butchering chickens. It was good to have a practice run though, so that way when we get to the real work this summer we won’t be too rusty.

We’re still working on getting our vegetable seeds started, but the cold makes it seem like we have a lot more time than we do until the ground thaws and we can plant. Seed starting is on the agenda for next week.

Our first batch of chicks will show up next week, which means the layers should be moved out to pasture by then. But with the weather the way it’s been and the 5 inches of snow on the ground, I don’t know if that will happen which means we’ll need to figure out where to house 50 babies and still have room for the hens.

Last week, I made Gordon Ramsay’s Chicken Parmesan. It is so good and one of my all time favorite chicken recipes. I subbed the plain bread crumbs for panko bread crumbs and the mozzarella cheese for cheddar, and it turned out amazing. If you’re looking for a new chicken dish, definitely try this one!

We’re hoping, along with everyone else, that spring is just around the corner, so we can really get started with our spring and summer work. But in the meantime, here are some pictures of flowers that I took last year. Sometimes I like to look at them and remember that warmer days really are on the way.

We're Ryan and Steph! Wanting to feed our family the best food we could, we decided to take on raising our own animals and growing our own food. This is where we'll share what we've learned and fill you in on things that we have going on!

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